CCRP · Instructors

We use highly qualified instructors to ensure successful and expert training. All instructors have excellent didactic skills to teach you the subject matter not only understandably, but also with a lot of fun and joy. This is an essential prerequisite for the effective and long-term absorption of the learning contents.

Our experienced and accomplished core instructors Our instructors are the leaders in veterinary rehabilitation and have written the most important books and scientific literature regarding rehabilitation. After successful training you will be able to apply the proven benefits of physiotherapy to the treatment of companion and performance animals. This means that what has been learned can be called up immediately in everyday practice.

Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Surgery Section Head, Department of Small Animal Clinical Services. Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has published in numerous peer-reviewed veterinary journals and is co-editor of the books Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy (2004) and Essential Facts of Physiotherapy in Dogs and Cats (2004).

Education
MS - University of Florida
DVM - Cornell University
Diplomate - American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Clinical Interests
General interest is that of small animal orthopedic surgery and physical rehabilitation.

Research Interests
Research interests include modulation of bone healing, osteoarthritis, and postoperative physical therapy of orthopedic patients.

Board Certification: 
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons, February, 1993
Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, 2003
Founding Charter Diplomate, American College of Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation, 2008

Faculty 
Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary medicine, University of Tennessee

Dr. Levine received a Bachelors of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of New England, a Masters in Orthopedic Physical Therapy from Boston University, and a doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee where he also received his PhD.

Dr. Levine is a professor and the Walter M. Cline Chair of Excellence in Physical Therapy at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, he is board certified as a specialist in orthopedics by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and is also certified in dry needling. His practice in canine rehabilitation is at VCSG in Chattanooga.

Dr. Levine has been working and conducting research in animal physical rehabilitation since 1993 and is co-director of the University of Tennessee's certificate program in canine rehabilitation. He is a co-editor of multiple books, including Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, Essential Facts of Physiotherapy in Dogs and Cats, and Gait Analysis: An Introduction. He has presented at over 100 conferences, and has lectured in more than a dozen countries. Dr. Levine has published in numerous peer-reviewed journals with over 100 publications. His latest research focuses on canine rehabilitation, clinical infectious disease, animal assisted therapy, and laser to improve muscle endurance.

Priv. Doz. Dr. habil. Barbara Bockstahler, FTA, CCRP European Veterinary Specialist in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, DECVSMR, DACVSMR Barbara Bockstahler is head of the section for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

In the course of her clinical and scientific career Dr. Bockstahler has held numerous national and international lectures.

Dr. Bockstahler was certified as a Specialist for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine in 2004 (Austria) and as Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner in 2007. She conducted intensive research on gait analysis in dogs since 2003 and finished her habilitation 2009. She is Diplomate of the European and the American College for Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.

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DVM, MSc, CCRP (Spain)

Renata is Brazilian and lives in Mallorca since 2007, where she manages her rehabilitation facility named "RehabilitaCans". She is a dedicated Veterinarian with an extensive track record of animal rehabilitation, skilled conference speaker and active participant in key associations related to the field of animal rehabilitation.

She is co-editor of the textbook “Fisiatria em Pequenos Animais”, published in Brazil in 2018.

Great expertise in laser therapy and hydrotherapy. Her primary research investigation is with attenuation of the chronodisruption in geriatric dogs with physiotherapy.

BVSc, MSc, PhD, CCRP, DACVS,PF HEA (UK)

Gail works at the University of Adelaide as the Animal Welfare Officer as well as teaching Rehabilitation to the final year DVM students. Her MSc from the Ontario Vet College is in canine total hip replacements and her PhD from Toronto is in bone remodelling and inflammatory mediators.

She is a great believer in motion being the lotion!

Dr Lili C. Asnal was born and studied Veterinary Medicine in Argentina. After several years working as small animal veterinary practitioner in private and university clinics in her home city, she decided to move to Italy.

She obtained her Italian Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Milan and in 2004 she opened her own small animal Veterinary Practice at Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. In June 2006 she traveled to the United States in order to pursue her postgraduate degree (CCRP) on Small Animal Physiotherapy Rehabilitation at the University of Knoxville, Tennessee.

In 2008 she opened the Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Center at her own clinic, becoming the first and well-equipped referred Rehab center, serving the whole Northeast of Italy. The Rehab center is and has been always opened to any colleague who decides to get closer to the Rehabilitation Specialization world.

Dr. Roberta Burdisso graduated from the Bologna (Italy) Veterinary University in 2000, graduated Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) in 2013.

Head of the Physiotherapy and Functional Department Veterinary Hospital Center FREGIS, Vice-President of the GEREP AFVAC (study group in functional rehabilitation and physiotherapy) | Paris (France).

DVM, MSc, CCRP, CVA

Graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in București in 2006, and after two years got his Master’s degree from the same institution. He opened his first private practice in 2006, VetCenter Otopeni, in the outskirts of București.
In 2013, Dr. Ciupercă started his certification in canine rehabilitation with the University of Tennessee and Schloss Seminar program that granted him one year later the title of Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner.
Also in 2013, Dr. Ciuperca began a one year long certification of veterinary acupuncture, a program supervised by IVAS (International Veterinary Acupuncture Society).
At the end of 2013 he decided to dedicate all his time to canine rehabilitation by opening his second private practice, VetPhysioCenter București, a courageous project, not only because it was the first practice in Romania ever offering full canine rehabilitation, but because the clinic was dedicated only to rehabilitation and physical therapy and worked as a referral clinic.
Since then, Dr. Ciupercă had more than 30 nationally lectures about canine rehabilitation, podium presentations in VEPRA 2015 and 2017, in IAVRPT 2018 and won first prize at the first CCRP World Reunion in Uppsala 2016 short presentations contest. He co-authored in 2015 with Prof. Darryl Millis the first chapter from “Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice – Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy” with the title: Evidence for Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy.

Dr. Ciupercă main interests are neurologically challenged patients and spinal walking in grade 0 modified Frankel score patients (paraplegia without deep pain sensation). His hobbies are reading and gardening.

BVSc CCRP GPcertWVA + CPM

Monique qualified as a veterinarian from Onderstepoort in South Africa in 1996. After obtaining her CCRP from the University of Tennesee in 2006 she opened a rehabilitation and pain management facility in Cape Town.

Monique relocated to Australia in 2016 and continues to work in rehabilitation and chronic pain management.

CCRP, Cert. vet. acupuncturist (Germany)

Head of the center for animal mobility at the LMU Munich, Germany. She has a long term experience in animal rehabilitation and physical medicine. Since 2004 she entirely focuses in this field. She developed a specific examination method to easier and faster understand the holistic situation in a rehab patient, which is truly innovative.

Her specialty is:
guiding hands to more success during her labs.

Sr Theresa Frias qualified as a veterinary nurse from the University of Pretoria in 1992.

She has been employed by the University of Pretoria since 1999 and worked in the small animal surgery department where she developed a special interest in physical therapy. This inspired her to complete her CCRP in 2009 and Canine body worker certification in 2013.

She has been running the Onderstepoort Animal Rehabilitation Service since 2011.

BSC (EGS) VN (UK) CCBW EEBW

• BSc completed at University of Cape Town 1994
• Vet Nursing Diploma completed at Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons United Kingdom 1996
• Equine Body Worker Certification completed in United Kingdom 2000
• Canine Body Worker Certification completed in United Kingdom 2007
  

Dawn Jones owns and runs Animal Physical Rehab which is based at Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. She has worked in the field of animal physical rehabilitation since September 1989, specifically with horses, dogs and cats. Dawn has taught in South Africa, England, Hong Kong, Dubai and Zambia.

She has a particular passion for "dogs with jobs".

Ângela Martins, graduated in veterinary medicine since 1991, clinical director of Arrábida Veterinary Hospital and of Animal Rehabilitation Center (CRAA) in Portugal. Master in Rehabilitation Medicine and PhD student in the area of Functional Neurorehabilitation.

Professor at the Lusofona University, and Portalegre Polytechnic Institute (Rehabilitation and Emergencies and Intensive Care). AARV and IAVRPT member. Tennesse University Certificate, CCRP instructor. Post-graduation in functional neurorehabilitation of human medicine.

Speaker in international congresses, OMICS, IVECCS, SEVCS, BSAVA, VEPRA, IAVRPT, AVEPA, ESVN-ECVN, and in several events, in all Universities in Portugal, also in Poland, Brasil and Munich.

Conducting research studies with Prof. Dr. Natasha Olby of North Caroline and with Prof. Dr. Tom Harcourt-brown of Bristol.

Published several articles in the Human Medicine International journals, Veterinary journals and also many posters in BSAVA, AVEPA, IAVRPT, VEPRA, and ESVN-ECVN, 2018. Wrote chapters for the book Fisiatria em Pequenos Animais, 2018.

Marion Mucha studied veterinary medicine in Vienna, Austria and was already involved in physiotherapy as part of her doctoral thesis, which was completed in 2005.

Since 2002 she worked in the Outpatient Clinic for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at the Vetmeduni Vienna. In the course of her clinical and scientific career, she has given many lectures in Austria and abroad and also conducted research in the field of movement science, physical therapy and acupuncture in dogs. Since 2004 she is a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVA, IVAS International Veterinary Acupuncture Society), since 2007 certified physiotherapist for dogs (CCRP, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, University of Tennessee in cooperation with Schloss-Seminar). 2010 her book "Checklist Acupuncture for Small Animals" was published. Since 2016 she is CVPP (Certified veterinary pain practitioner, IVAPM) and since 2018 European Veterinary Specialist in Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (Dipl ECVSMR).

Greta Oldfield, authorised Veterinary Nurse with 10 years experience working in small animal medicine.

She obtained her Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner degree from the University of Tennessee (CCRP) in 2014 and is the practice manager of one of the leading clinics for small animal rehabilitation and physical therapy in Norway; AniCura Rehab Sandvika.
Greta became a faculty member of the Veterinary Academy of Higher Learning (VAHL) in 2017 and is currently a Masters Degree student in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the University of Nottingham. She has had the pleasure of lecturing at several occations for veterinarians, veterinary nurses and pet owners in Norway, Sweden and Germany the past years.

Greta has an extraordinary love for her field of expertise and loves to work with complex cases in neurology and orthopedic injuries and diseases. She receives referrals from all over the country and has the pleasure of collaborating with the best veterinary surgeons in Norway.

Dr. Sterin is DVM, President of AIFISVET (Asociación Ibero Americana de Fisiatría Veterinaria), international speaker and has a privat clinic for rehabilitation and physical therapy in Buenos Aires, Argentinia.

DVM, CCRP

Dr. Priya completed her Veterinary Studies in 2010 from the University of Melbourne.

She enrolled in the CCRP course in 2015. In 2017, Dr. Priya worked as a rehabilitation veterinarian at the Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand where she developed an interest in neurorehabilitation. In 2020, she founded ARK Veterinary Rehabilitation, a mobile rehabilitation service provider in the tiny, tropical island of Singapore.
Besides clinical practice, she is dedicated to the training and education of vets from developing countries in the region in the field of veterinary rehabilitation and animal care.

Elena Tognato graduated with laudem in 2006 at the University of Veterinary Medicine of Padua. She completed her experience at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Madrid and than at the Hospital for Small Animals – University of Edinburgh.

In 2010 she obtained the certification of Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) of the University of Tennessee – Schloss Seminar.

Since 2009 she has been working in Small animals practices with particular interest in Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation. In 2013 Elena founded “Thermal Physiopet” Small Animal Rehabilitation practice in Montegrotto Terme (Italy) where she provides physical therapy service.

Dr. Kathleen Wittek studied veterinary medicine at the University of Leipzig from 1993 to 1999 and received her veterinary license in 1999.

• 1999 - 2002 she was studying for her doctorate and worked as a veterinary locum in various small animal practices.
• 2002 - 2003 she interned in the rehabilitation department of the small animal hospital at the University of Illinois, USA.
• She received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Leipzig in 2004.
• In 2006, she was awarded the additional title of "Physical Therapy" by the Saxon Chamber of Veterinarians.
• In the period 2003 - 2007 she was also a practice assistant in a small animal practice in Halle/Salle and 2007 - 2008 in a mixed practice in Leipzig.
• Since 2012 she has been a research assistant in the outpatient clinic for physical therapy and rehabilitation at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.

DMV, MSC, and Ph.D. (St) on the University Of São Paulo - Brazil, with a thesis on animal rehabilitation. Animal Physical Therapy Post Graduation (500 hours) on Bioethicus Institute - Brazil.

Nowadays Maira coordinates this course and also works as a professor in the animal rehabilitation area. CCRP certification (pending).  In 2018 she was graduated in Pain Control Couse of Clinicas Hospital/ Human Medical School/University Of São Paulo. Maira is also a Member of the local board of Animal Physiotherapy(CRMV)/ Brazil and a director member of the Brazilian Association of Physical Therapy(ANFIVET). She is owner of Fisioanimal Rehabilitation Center (São Paulo Brazil) and member of the University Of São Paulo Animal Pain Ambulatory, where she coordinates the research on animal physio.  Last year their research on Myofascial Pain and Physiotherapy won the price of the best research on pain control, by Analgesia Institute -France-Europe, in a partnership between the University of Lyon/University of São Paulo.

Univ. of Bologna, Dipl Ecvsmr, Acvsmr

...

Vincent Hoogstad (Rotterdam, the Netherlands 1976) graduated as humane physical therapist in 1999.  He continued learning and amongst other various jobs he became a teacher at the Anatomy departement at the Erasmus University and an expert in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging.  After some extensive world travelling he went into a different direction. He studied Behavourial Ecology (Wageningen University) and Primatology (Kyoto University) and became a CCRP in 2020. 

He lives and works in Crete, Greece where he recently started his business; Animal Rehabilitation Crete (www.animalrehabcrete.com). 

He is fanatic when it come to evolutionary theories and strongly believes that human dominance on earth is overestimated. Currently, he's writing a book about movement  from an evolutionary perspective in both animals and humans.  

The certificate program in canine rehabilitation offers a series of postgraduate courses for veterinarians, physical therapists and veterinary technicians. After successful completion of all the online, e-learning and practical courses and after successfully passing the examination, participations will receive the title “Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner”.

It's time to become a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner!